the Journey 6427 Franconia Rd Springfield, VA 22150 (703) 971-0277 journeyoffice@verizon.net thejourneysite.org the Journey 6427 Franconia Rd Springfield, VA 22150 (703) 971-0277 journeyoffice@verizon.net
Love God Love Others Love the World! December 22, 2013 EVENTS THIS WEEK DAYS TIMES Morning Worship Journey Kidz Baby Zone (Infant - 24 months) Tot Zone (age 2-5) Live! Zone (K-6th grade) Bible Studies Korean Fellowship Jr/Sr High (at the office) NO Adult Bible Study - Resumes 1/5/13 Prayer Ministry - in the Journey office Living Room Evening Worship Journey Kidz (Age 5 & under) Today Today Today Tonight 9:30 am & 11:15 am 9:30 am 9:30 am 11:15 am 5:00 pm Refuel Caroling for Cans Tonight 6:30 pm Christmas Eve Services Tuesday 6:00 pm & 7:30 pm Zumba class Resumes 1/8/13 Ladies Coffee Break Thursday 10:00 am P90X-Insanity Mix Class Resumes 1/9/13 Life Groups Meet - check out the website for specific days and times Sun - Fri Various times
Sermon Outline Part 2 Isaiah 9:6, For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Charles Spurgeon, How complex is the person of our Lord Jesus Christ! Almost in the same breath the prophet calls Him a Child, a Counselor, a Son, and The Everlasting Father. This is no contradiction, and to us scarcely a paradox, but it is a mighty marvel that He who was an infant should at the same time be infinite. He who was the Man of Sorrows should also be God over all, blessed forever. And He who is in the Divine Trinity always called the Son, should nevertheless be correctly called The Everlasting Father. Colossians 1:15-17, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Robert Frost, "Home is the place where, when you go there, they have to take you in." Romans 8 :14-16 (NLT), For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, Abba, Father. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. 1 John 3:1, What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it we re called children of God! That s who we really are. 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 (MSG), God himself put it this way: I ll live in them, move into them; I ll be their God and they ll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good, says God. Don t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I ll be a Father to you; you ll be sons and daughters to me. The Word of the Master, God.
Sermon Notes Outline Ephesians 1:3-8 (MSG), How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we re a free people free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! Reflection
Gift Ideas for Relational Giving Here are a few ideas to get your own creative juices flowing! The gift of time - Create a fun certificate stating the gift of time you want to give, for example, help with a project around the house or help with errands. Bring coffee, tea or lunch and flowers when you come, be intentional about really connecting while you re together! Here are some ideas for spending time together wrap popcorn, gourmet root beer and a classic DVD for a movie night with a friend host Monday Night Football and make homemade pizza wrap 2 copies of a used classic book to read with a friend hot cocoa, bundle up and take a walk through the Christmas lit streets downtown with friends or family Give creative coupons: babysitting for your worn out sister-in-;law yard work for an elderly person in your life massage for that person who has been working a bit too hard lately road trip to get an out-of-town adventure with your child free point to get together and talk theology about how God is moving in your lives car maintenance to change the oil in a friend s car (if you know how) house project to help them build that shed, clean the garage, closets etc. Give a certificate for a day together doing something that person is passionate about: a new bat and a trip to the batting cages a new guitar strap and a trip to the guitar center to play with the guitars together. a day trip with your camera for the photographer friend a day hike together, you bring lunch Things to make with the kids: simple scrapbook with pictures of time with the person you re giving it to, pictures of the kids for far away family a home published story, written and illustrated by the kids, the time you spend with the kids creating it is priceless! a DVD of your life these days for long distance friends and family Ask yourself, What can I do? And give of yourself! What do they like to do? Make time to do it with them!
Coming Up NO MEN S BREAKFAST & BIBLE STUDY IN DECEMBER There will be no men s breakfast this month because of the holidays, but be sure to join us in January when we resume our study on Biblical Traits of Godly Men. For more information contact David Sleight at sleight.journey@verizon.net. GIRLFRIENDS AND GOD - JANUARY 12TH SAVE THE DATE! Looking forward to the New Year and the resolutions you will achieve? Be sure to make one of your resolutions to attend our next Girlfriends and God event on Sunday, January 12th! Look for more info in next week s bulletin. If you have any questions, contact Aprile Sleight at 336-432-5575. JOURNEY OUTDOORS Saturday, 11 January, Journey Outdoors will host a five mile hike. We will depart from the church parking lot at 9:00am. The Prince William National Forest Park, minutes from I95 near Woodbridge, has well-maintained trails and a good bit of local history. Entrance is $5 per car, but military drivers receive free admission, and we can carpool. Dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes, bring water and a light lunch or snack. Here is the link to Prince William Forest Park: http:// www.nps.gov/prwi/index.htm for information, maps, and other tidbits. If you would like to be on an email list to receive information about upcoming hikes, please sign up on the sheet in the lobby. For more information, contact Kevin Doty - kevstr@me.com ADULT BIBLE STUDY - NEW STUDY BEGINS JANUARY 5TH There will be no Adult Bible Study over the holidays. They will be starting a new study on the book of James on January 5th at 9:30am. We will continue to meet upstairs over at the Journey office. Please join us! For more information, contact Bernie Frank - berniefrank1982@gmail.com
Announcements MEET OUR ELDERS FOR 2014! Below are listed the men who have been confirmed to serve on our board of elders for 2014. We would ask for your continued prayers for this group of men as they seek to follow, and guide us to follow, in the way God would have the Journey to go in the coming year. Matt Randolph Pete Becker Mike Gartner Mike Ambroso Andy Butler Rod Wesselman Dan Garrison Dave Johnson ADVENT CONSPIRACY - SPECIAL OFFERING This year we are again celebrating our Christmas season at the Journey by changing our focus from gifts, commercialism, and return policies and returning to a time when Christmas was about hope, love, redemption and promise. In conjunction with this, we will be supporting a very special mission called Living Water International, which helps provide wells with clean drinking water to people all over the world. We will be taking a special offering this week and next to help build a well in Nicaragua and to help support our upcoming mission trips. Just make your checks out to the Journey and mark Living Water on the memo line. We have set up a table in the lobby with more information on the Advent Conspiracy and Living Water International, and there are special cards out on that table that you can use to let someone know that, instead of giving them a gift they don t want, can t use or don t need, you have given the gift of clean water to someone in their name! REFUEL END OF THE YEAR PARTY DECEMBER 29TH Join us on December 29th at 6:30pm (during our normal Refuel time) for an "End of the Year" party with games, food - and yes, even a countdown! Contact: Adam Schuster - schuster.journey@verizon.net JANUARY JOURNEY DEVOTIONALS FOR WOMEN NOW AVAILABLE Need a daily devotional? This monthly women's devotional magazine offers guidance for a growing, personal relationship with God. Each weekday devotion deals with issues and real-life situations. The daily devotional content can help us develop a daily quiet time that allows us to pray, read God's Word, and listen for God to speak to us. It is provided free by the Journey s Women s Ministry. Pick up your copy in the lobby today!
Announcements Thank you for choosing to worship with us today! Please fill out an information card and note any prayer requests and praises on the back. Thank You. REFUEL CAROLING FOR CANS - TONIGHT Attention Jr/Sr Highers - join us to spread a little holiday cheer and help the needy in our area by Caroling for Cans TONIGHT, starting at 6:30 pm. We will visit a nearby neighborhood. At each house we will ask if we could sing for them and if they have some canned goods to share. The collected cans will go to help Mary s Pantry at Koinonia. Then we will gather back at the church for cookies and hot cocoa. For more information contact Adam Schuster at schuster.journey@verizon.net. CONGRATULATIONS, ADAM! A week ago, our Worship & Youth Pastor, Adam Schuster, graduated from Lancaster Bible College with a Masters in Christian Counseling & Discipleship! Be sure to congratulate him when you see him; he s put a lot of time, effort and sacrifice to reach this goal, and we want him to know how proud of him we are! We ve put a copy of the commencement ceremony program on the welcome booth in the lobby if you would like to sign and write something in it for him. JOIN US FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE JOURNEY! Everyone is invited to join us on Christmas Eve for a candlelight service that will include songs, scripture, a communion service and a special story time for kids! Services will be at 6:00 and 7:30 pm, with a nursery provided for children 0-24 months. HAVE ANY OF YOUR DISHES GONE MISSING? Over the course of time, a number of casserole and serving dishes have found their way into the Take 5 area and/or the cart in the lobby at the Journey - could one of them be yours? Please feel free to check those areas to see if any of your wayward dishes have ended up there. We ll keep them until the end of December, at which time we will find them a new home. Please feel free to contact Vicki Becker at vbecker2@verizon.net if you have any questions.
Opportunities to Serve Koinonia, one of our long-time local mission partners, is currently in search of volunteers in our Food Pantry and Clothing Closet. The Food Pantry needs a volunteer to come in every other Friday morning from 9am to Noon. The Clothing Closet needs a volunteer to come in every Thursday from 3pm to 6pm. No previous experience necessary, training provided! If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in taking on any of these assignments, please call Julie at 703-922-8327 COMMUNION PREPARATION FOR 2014 Have you been looking for a place to serve at the Journey? We need people to prepare communion. We need people to prep & set up before 1st service and between services, someone to clean up after 2nd service, and someone to do prep, set up and clean up for the 3rd service! You ll see a sign up sheet in the lobby reflecting these three areas. Normally sign up is on a monthly basis, but if you can only serve one or two weeks in a month, that s OK, too! Easy to follow instructions and all supplies are provided. If you can help, sign up on the sheet in the lobby, or just talk to Judy Davis. For more information, contact the Journey office. THE BULLETIN IS NOW ONLINE! well, it s actually been on there for awhile, we just wanted to make sure you know! If you would like to save some paper, you can download the bulletin from our website. Just go to thejourneysite.org, click on the Media & Resources page, then on This Week at the Journey - and click on the date of the bulletin that you need. The bulletin for the current Sunday is normally available by 5pm the Saturday before if you need to download it before you come to church. ARE YOU MISSING SOMETHING? We have a small "lost and found" location behind the guest welcome booth in the front foyer. We'll keep stuff for 30 days and then send it along to our local charity clothing bank or the Salvation Army. Not finding it here? Check down at the information booth for Journey Kidz - they have a box, too! Check with Jim Pruitt at jptex1950@aol.com.